SEC to spotlight sustainable finance during world investor week 2022

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) says it will spotlight issues related to investor resilience and sustainable finance during world investor week 2022. 

According to a statement issued over the weekend, the 6th edition of the 2022 world investor week (WIW) will hold between October 24 and October 28, 2022.

The commission added that it is coordinated by the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO).

It said SEC, in collaboration with the Financial Literacy Technical Committee (FLTC), will join the rest of the world to celebrate the event. 

The event is themed: “Investor Resilience; and Sustainable Finance”. 

The commission, being a member representing Nigeria in the organisation, has lined up a series of activities to commemorate this year’s event.  

According to the commission, some of the activities slated for the event include interaction with the public on topics regarding investor education as well as rights and protection that are considered critical to retail investors nationwide. 

Specifically, webinars titled “The Non-Interest Capital Market as Panacea to Mortgage Financing in Nigeria” and “Investor Resilience and Sustainable Finance” will be hosted on October 26 and 27, 2022, respectively.

Lamido Yuguda, director-general, SEC, said the commission as well as other players in the capital market have, over time, frequently sought to enhance the level and quality of financial literacy in Nigeria. 

“Major among the recent initiatives is the ongoing plan to introduce capital market studies in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions, a project which has reached an advance stage,” he said. 

“It is without a doubt that the delivery of this project will change the face of financial literacy in Nigeria. 

“Indeed, for this sixth edition of the WIW, stakeholders nationwide are urged to collaborate with the commission, and in their different ways create the awareness on the need to educate and protect the investor.” 

Ashley Alder, chair of the IOSCO board and the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission said: “During the last two years, we have seen a growing number of retail investors participating in securities markets, in the context of the global pandemic.”

“Those investors are facing new challenges, such as inflationary pressures and the uncertainties deriving from geopolitical tensions.

“Financial education and investor protection play a critical role in enhancing investor resilience and investor confidence to participate in the financial market on a properly informed basis.” 

The IOSCO WIW is an annual week-long global campaign to promote investor education and protection, as well as strengthening collaborations among member jurisdictions.